First Liquid Cool Project

[Snowman]

I am going to start with a teaser post but here are my idle temps with crap TIM and no overclocking but I think there is plenty of room to go up from here

Hardware monitor AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+
Temperature 0 24°C (74°F) [0xCF] (Core #0)
Temperature 1 11°C (52°F) [0x9D] (Core #1)

[blueonblack]

I'm thinking either you have this system in a refrigerator or there is something wrong with your readings on core #1. What's the ambient temp where the system is?

[Snowman]

ambient in the room is probably somewhere around 70 but two coolant lines and the rad are right above the ac vent which hasnt stopped running all day

[blueonblack]

ambient in the room is probably somewhere around 70 but two coolant lines and the rad are right above the ac vent which hasnt stopped running all day

That would explain it then. You're using phase change! :D

[Snowman]

I said i was cheating on air cooling anyway, my rear case fan was pulling in from the ac vent and out the front, I expect my temps to go to hell once we start running the heat. AC is off for the night and core 1 has come up a bit but I think the biggest challenge is definitely going to be the gpu if i cant find a water block for it

[Oneslowz28]

Pics!

[Snowman]

Pics!

http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/unnamed%20Liquid%20project..png
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-09-22%2004.04.41.jpeg
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-09-22%2004.04.24.jpeg

Everything is temporary right now as I may be splurging on some umm new stuff that will remain a surprise, so thats why the wire mess and all the extra tubing.

[Snowman]

Just A quick update and a question, I have ordered sata cables, fan extensions, power adapters for my hdds to recess them further into the cage. Now the question I plan on having green cathodes at the top and bottom as well as uv cathodes to really make the loop glow. One set will be hooked to the inverter the other will be hooked up to my fan controller which is sound reactive or full on. Which set do you think would be better hooked up to sound reactive?

[Snowman]

Goodies in the mail from performance pcs
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-09-30%2017.14.43.jpeg
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-09-30%2017.25.36.jpeg
Cable mess being fixed
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-09-30%2017.49.45.jpeg
Cables mess cleaned up as well as possible
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-09-30%2017.57.07.jpeg

and finally since I cant find the case I wanted to surprise everybody with, rebuilt and shortened loop:
http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/2010-10-01%2010.16.20.jpeg

[Snowman]

Minor update gfx card is getting almost hot enough to boil water, so i stripped it down cleaned the gpu as well as the heat sink and it brought it down about 20 degrees but still not extremely happy with the temps... what are your temps air or liquid.

[x88x]

For GPU? My GTX260 on stock air would sit in the upper 50's on idle, then under load would hit the mid-to-upper 70's. Never broke 80 though, that was my NB's job...BSOD every time it topped 80. :P

My pre-RMA GTX260 under water would idle at 33-34C, and then max out at 35-36C under load. :D I haven't gotten the new GTX260 under water yet (see Zeus' worklog to find out why), but I expect it'll probably run a C or two hotter since it has, what, 24 more stream processors?

[Snowman]

For GPU? My GTX260 on stock air would sit in the upper 50's on idle, then under load would hit the mid-to-upper 70's. Never broke 80 though, that was my NB's job...BSOD every time it topped 80. :P

My pre-RMA GTX260 under water would idle at 33-34C, and then max out at 35-36C under load. :D I haven't gotten the new GTX260 under water yet (see Zeus' worklog to find out why), but I expect it'll probably run a C or two hotter since it has, what, 24 more stream processors?

See thats my issue right now I am idling at 54-60 and thats after cleaning and reapplying arctic silver 5. I don't want to run water if I don't have to because that means taking out the larkooler that is running flawlessly or running two loops and my case isnt really big enough for that. So I am at a rock and a hard place, although I guess I could always take the larkooler out build a bigger loop and liquid cool my server...

[x88x]

I wouldn't worry if your GPU is that high; they just run hot, not much you can do about that. Though, because of that they're stable to a lot higher temps too.

[Snowman]

I wouldn't worry if your GPU is that high; they just run hot, not much you can do about that. Though, because of that they're stable to a lot higher temps too.

Well I am getting some stutter in my video when its spiking (up to 199 Fahrenheit Friday)

[x88x]

Hmm, ok, yeah, if it's hitting the 90's (or even the 80's), that may be cause for concern...One thing you could do, the rad from the Larkooler set that you have should be enough for both your CPU and GPU, so you could just get a block for your GPU and patch it into the loop.

[Snowman]

Will I have flow issues with going from .5" barbs and adapting down to .25" tubing though?

[x88x]

You can get 1/4" fittings for whatever waterblock you get, and no, it won't cause problems. I would recommend to get actual 1/4" fittings instead of doing 1/2" fittings and adapters, but either one will work.

[Snowman]

You can get 1/4" fittings for whatever waterblock you get, and no, it won't cause problems. I would recommend to get actual 1/4" fittings instead of doing 1/2" fittings and adapters, but either one will work.

Okay I am looking at two blocks the mcw-360 the boy 4rm is selling comes with 1/4" barbs but i would have to get ramsinks. The other block I am looking out is ridiculous in price and comes with 1/2 that are not changeable. Which way would you guys go I am leaning towards the the 360 if I can source the pads and ramsinks.

[Snowman]

New bios fixed audio issues, and clocked from 2.1 to 2.6 stable and no temp change.

[Snowman]

New bios fixed audio issues, and clocked from 2.1 to 2.6 stable and no temp change.
Scratch that audio went back to sh.. rolling back drivers.

[x88x]

I have two cards in my system now, one with a full-coverage and one with a universal (ok, actually it's a NB block, whatever, it fit :P ), and while the full-coverage is nice, I wouldn't pay the premium that I did for it again unless it's a really high-end card.

[Snowman]

2.8 almost 2.9 stable http://knoxware.org/snowman/liquid%20project/28.png

[Snowman]

Okay I am just going to up and ruin the surprise... against my wife's wishes and probably a night on the couch I was looking at a new case the only problem is I am not sure i can fit the rad in the top where I want to. So this is a plea to anyone with access to a micro center to go check out the Rosewill Destroyer and see if its feasible to put a 2x120 rad in the top before I order sight unseen.

[x88x]

Sorry, Microcenter doesn't stock Rosewill stuff (Rosewill is Newegg's house brand), so I can't physically check it, but looking at the pictures on Newegg, the Antec 902 Rosewill Destroyer ;) looks like it has dual 120mm fans on the top, so the surface area is there, but there is not enough clearance between the top of the case and the top edge of the MBB to fit in, well, anything. You could definitely put the rad on top of the case though, or do like I did in Zeus and put it in the front drive bays.

[Snowman]

Sorry, Microcenter doesn't stock Rosewill stuff (Rosewill is Newegg's house brand), so I can't physically check it, but looking at the pictures on Newegg, the Antec 902 Rosewill Destroyer ;) looks like it has dual 120mm fans on the top, so the surface area is there, but there is not enough clearance between the top of the case and the top edge of the MBB to fit in, well, anything. You could definitely put the rad on top of the case though, or do like I did in Zeus and put it in the front drive bays.

I thought sure I saw it on micro centers site on a clearance deal... oh well.. I bet I can still make it work.. would hate to downsize to 90 mm fans with funnels though but it would make... zomg.. great idea... wish i could use google sketch up worth a (expletive I almost posted.) Oh well I will ruin it... something along these lines with an adapter to run 92 or 80 mill fans for mobo clearance and directly ported to the side panel.

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/large/products/EC-AD-012_t_LRG.jpghttp://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/products/NX-8092-120-Duct_01.jpg

[x88x]

Not to push my idea too hard or anything, but how many of the 5.25" bays are you planning on using? A 120mm rad width is almost perfect for fitting into those bays, and if you have enough free it can just sit in there with some L-channel and maintain the 120mm fans.

[Snowman]

Not to push my idea too hard or anything, but how many of the 5.25" bays are you planning on using? A 120mm rad width is almost perfect for fitting into those bays, and if you have enough free it can just sit in there with some L-channel and maintain the 120mm fans.

If I did that I wouldn't need a new case lol.:banana:

[SXRguyinMA]

pick up the NZXT Tempest EVO :D There's room in the top under the 2 140mm exhaust fans for 2x120 raddy :up:

[Snowman]

Ok so two votes for the tempest... can all that ugly blue lighting be fixed without junking the case lol.

[SXRguyinMA]

the side panel and both front panel fans are blue LED so you can swap those for whatever you want, they're standard 120mm fans. the 2 front strips are lit via a 3mm led, but you can leave it unplugged or change it to whatever color you want. check out my tempest sxr build and you'll see how I changed the front strip lights to RGB LEDs, but you can put whatever you want in it (or just leave it unplugged)

[Snowman]

Well I can deal or figure out something i have tons of green leds. But anyway sound issue is still there I am going to try and track down some new speakers in 2.1, does anyone have a spare sound card just in case, i have a pci-e 1x and a pci open so whatever anyone may have.

[Snowman]

Just an update for anyone that may be watching this build, I have essentially hit a brick wall.. my sound issue is coming and going of its own free will, still in search of a case, my video card waterblock is currently being held in Australia while I get the monies together, and of course I have hit a brick wall on overclocking without even gaining enough to see a difference.

UPDATE EDIT

hit 3044.8 mhz stable and holding at 26 degrees celsius or 80 degrees farenheit.. ac is running so phase change is helping a lot.

[Snowman]

Another clock update, got to 3.4 before it started blue screening. It gives me hope that maybe a high clock speed isn't out of the question. Just want to throw out some quick thanks again to buzz, oneslowz28, kayin, theboy4rmoz, and anyone who has contributed in this thread for helping me out.

[SXRguyinMA]

nice! It may be your RAM limiting you. mine is only letting me get my Q6600 to 3.6, it either won't post or I get a bsod after that

[Snowman]

nice! It may be your RAM limiting you. mine is only letting me get my Q6600 to 3.6, it either won't post or I get a bsod after that

thats about where I got to without out volting the ram but it wouldnt post at 3.6.. I am going to look at the ram specs later to see what i can comfortable volt to. I got lucky the ram I got from buzz is the same latency as the g skill I already had so heres hoping they match in voltages as well.

[mDust]

thats about where I got to without out volting the ram but it wouldnt post at 3.6.. I am going to look at the ram specs later to see what i can comfortable volt to. I got lucky the ram I got from buzz is the same latency as the g skill I already had so heres hoping they match in voltages as well.

RAM is very sensitive to voltage. Check to see if your board allows you to change the DRAM ratio (or equivalent) before you increase the voltage there. Every board I've ever owned has allowed it, but I've always bought boards for OCing. If yours has the option you can turn the ratio up so the RAM runs a bit slower for more OCing headroom.

[Snowman]

RAM is very sensitive to voltage. Check to see if your board allows you to change the DRAM ratio (or equivalent) before you increase the voltage there. Every board I've ever owned has allowed it, but I've always bought boards for OCing. If yours has the option you can turn the ratio up so the RAM runs a bit slower for more OCing headroom.

yeah i have that friendly overclocking asus crashfree bios MAJOR :up: it has saved me arse a few times.

[Snowman]

WELLLLLLLL fantastic I have what my best guess would be iron precipitate in other words it looks like i have rust suspended in my liquid... i have sourced distilled water but I am wondering what my additive of choice should be.

[x88x]

What did you fill it with initially? You always want to use either distilled water or some specially designed liquid. For distilled water, you can go as simple (and cheap) as getting a jug of distilled water at the grocery store. The special distilled water that some places online sell isn't any different, just got a badge on it. For an additive, you can get anti-fungal/anti-corrosive additives, and that's really all that's necessary. If you want a colored liquid I would recommend going with a pre-made colored liquid, not the additives. The additives tend to have a higher risk of separation.

[Snowman]

What did you fill it with initially? You always want to use either distilled water or some specially designed liquid. For distilled water, you can go as simple (and cheap) as getting a jug of distilled water at the grocery store. The special distilled water that some places online sell isn't any different, just got a badge on it. For an additive, you can get anti-fungal/anti-corrosive additives, and that's really all that's necessary. If you want a colored liquid I would recommend going with a pre-made colored liquid, not the additives. The additives tend to have a higher risk of separation.

larkooler coolant, essentially antifreeze without such a high glycol content.

[x88x]

Yikes! Makes you wonder how an iron precipitate got in there. :eek: I'll make a note to run far and fast from from that coolant.

[Snowman]

My only guess is the bottle I used when I drained the loop could have had a few drops of well water in it. If not there is a reaction occurring somewhere.

[Snowman]

well water block for the vid card and cathodes should be underway about wednesday. Considering ordering this fluid (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_381_389&products_id=21645) although I may just go with distilled water for now as well it is more readily available and cheap. Only pieces of the puzzle left will be selecting a case and some green cathodes and i will be ready to close this thread and start a real work log.